The Adelaide Crows have defeated a very admirable but ultimately disappointing Port Adelaide Power outfit by 17 points in Showdown 42 in front of a record crowd at Adelaide Oval.
In a game that arguably didn’t quite live up to its massive hype, it was the Crows which eventually fought off a spirited Port Adelaide start before taking the lead late in the second quarter and not relinquishing it again for the remainder of the game.
The first quarter began with Port dominance, with the hosts nailing three early goals before Eddie Betts decided that wasn’t the right way he wanted the night to begin.
The entertaining forward dribbled a freak goal through, before sending a more ‘regular goal’ through the sticks about 10 minutes later.
Combined with a goal from Tom Lynch, the Crows only trailed by nine points at quarter-time. Port, for their part, looked relatively comfortable, leading the inside 50s and generally having the better of general play.
The second quarter seemed, at times, a reversal of the first. It was the Crows who were on fire, beginning to dominate most facets of the game – dominating inside 50s and possession. They looked confident, and sleek, and the lead was theirs come half time.
The third quarter was when Adelaide put their foot on the accelerator, with goals to Riley Knight, Rory Slone and captain ‘Tex’ allowing the “visitor” to find themselves 26 points ahead and with the ascendency most definitely in their favour.
Port, though, weren’t going away, and seemingly woke from their slumber to close the gap to 15 points at three-quarter time – a margin which was undoubtedly within reach.
The eyes of the nation were on Adelaide Oval for the final stanza in this engrossing game, but, despite Port getting within a goal at one point, it was the Crows who were able to – admittedly with the help of some ill-disciplined Port actions gifting them some frees – comfortably escape out to 23 points come the final minutes, a margin only narrowed by Robbie Grey’s consolation goal in the final ten seconds.
Adelaide will be extremely pleased the evenness of their contributors – Matt Crouch, Rory Sloane, Richard Douglas, Rory Laird and Brodie Smith all touched the ball in excess of 22 times, while – somewhat predictably – it was Taylor Walker (4 goals), Eddie Betts (3 majors) and Tom T Lynch (2) who contributed heavily to their offensive efforts.
Andy Otten and Riley Knight also did themselves no harm with two goals apiece. Sloane and youngster Curly Hampton also were the perfect illustrations of the brilliant pressure the Crows applied – nine tackles each.
Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines, Travis Boak and Brad Ebert can hold their heads high, with the trio gaining 82 combined disposals, while Wines and Robbie Gray had two goals each. Powell-Pepper had 16 disposals to continue his good start to his career.
Port face a massive clash next weekend against GWS in Canberra, while Adelaide host the potentially undefeated Essendon at Adelaide Oval next Saturday night.
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